


fairytales i could never reach

by midsummergal



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Childhood Memories, Gen, Good Alpha Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), Hurt Theo Raeken, Hurt/Comfort, Jealousy, M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, Other, Protective Liam, Protective Scott, Redemption, Road Trips, Sharing a Bed, The Hunt for Monroe, Trauma, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-15 08:42:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29930841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midsummergal/pseuds/midsummergal
Summary: Scott was pretty sure Theo didn’t have any actual money, or a job or even any legit identification,  so there was no way he had gotten a place of his own. Not that it was any of his concern. Unless… wouldn’t it be useful to know who the chimera was staying with, just  so that they could keep an eye on him? Also, if it wasn’t Liam, then who else in Beacon Hills would even willingly give Theo a place to stay? Scott came up blank.6:02pm: who with??Did you want to offer him to stay with you?, the voice in his head taunted him. No. No, that wasn’t what this was about. Of course he hadn’t wanted that. Since things had calmed down somewhat and Theo had slowly but surely shown up more often in his life again, all thanks to Liam, he couldn’t even look at Theo for too long. And why is that?, the voice in his head egged him on. It’s not hate you feel, it whispered. That’s not why you have to look away. His phone lit up again and rescued him from his own treacherous thoughts.6:05pm: peter hale
Relationships: Liam Dunbar & Theo Raeken, Peter Hale/Theo Raeken, Scott McCall/Theo Raeken
Comments: 6
Kudos: 18





	fairytales i could never reach

**Author's Note:**

> \- not beta-d cause im unhinged  
> \- apparently regressing back to 14 cause i finally finished teen wolf and am now 10000% obsessed with theo, decided to make it everyones problem  
> \- enjoy and leave some feedback maybeee :)  
> \- inspired by all the wonderful works on here!

_He remembers the woods from when they were children._

_Scott remembers how just the two of them, would walk around in the woods sometimes, mostly lingering around one of the bigger ponds and trying without success to make their stones skip. They must’ve been eight or nine at the time, maybe ten, because Scott also remembers the last time the two of them had been at the pond together, comfortable silence surrounding them without Stiles or screaming parents around._

_“I might be leaving soon“, Theo said, expression twisted up in an effort to conceal his emotions. Scott considered himself to be good at reading people though and he knew Theo, maybe not as well as Stiles, but still well enough to see the feelings his friend was trying to push down. Or at least he used to be able to read Theo, before the accident and the darkness that clung to his friend like a second shadow._

_“What do you mean?“, Scott asked, digging around in the mud for a suitably flat rock. “They’re saying that we have go away soon and that they’re taking me with them…“, the smaller boy mumbled as he threw rock after rock at the body of water in front of them. Scott was pretty sure he wasn’t really even trying to make them skip anymore._

_“Your parents?“ Theo didn’t answer, just threw the next rock into the water much more aggressively than the other ones. He didn’t like talking about his family and Scott understood that, knew what it was like to have parents at home whose favourite hobby seemed to be screaming at each other. “So you’ll be moving?“, Scott had finally found a perfect medium-sized flat rock for his next attempt. He didn’t want Theo to leave. He liked throwing stones with him and walking around the woods, looking at funny bugs, just enjoying each other’s company and the quiet they sometimes needed. He liked having a friend that also had asthma, so he wasn’t left standing there alone when Stiles sprinted ahead of them. And even though up until know all they’d been able to do with their skateboards was not fall off of them, he’d always dreamt of one day learning tricks on them together._

_“I guess so“, Theo answered after a while of bombarding the pond with rocks of various sizes. He didn’t sound like he wanted to leave. It was unfair, how some stupid adults could just take his friend away because they wanted to leave Beacon Hills. Didn’t they care what Theo wanted? Eyes fixated on the dark water in front of them and trying not to show how he was feeling too much, just as he’d always been, Scott wasn’t entirely sure what Theo wanted either. One thing was for sure: He didn’t sound happy or excited about it._

_„Scott, I-“, but he broke off before finishing his sentence, instead just drowning another rock with a loud splash._

\--- 

One monday afternoon, just after Scott finished his classes for the day, Liam calls him. “Hey dude, what’s up?“ Sometimes when the beta called, all he wanted to do was ramble about his life, how senior year was going for him and whatever trouble he and Mason had gotten themselves into this time. Sometimes something was actually bothering him and he’d beat around the bush for a while before finally getting it off his chest. Rarely, he stayed silent for a while after Scott picked up and it usually meant nothing good.

“It’s Theo“, Liam finally said and then went back to silence. Scott didn’t know what to say to that. What did Theo have to do with him? This couldn’t be about - _No._ Was the chimera in trouble? Had he caused trouble again?

“What about Theo?“, Scott asked when he realised Liam wasn’t going to elaborate any time soon. Liam sighed. „It’s just… nobody’s heard from him in a while. Sure, I know he’s not pack and he can come and go as he pleases, but…“ Yeah, Scott understood. Liam had grown the closest to Theo ever since they had dragged him back out of hell. He knew some of the pack disapproved of the reluctant connection that the two boys had formed. He himself had to hold back his anger at first, worried about his beta and how Theo could hurt him all over again. However, Theo hadn’t shown any signs of going back to acting like a psychopath or going on a killing spree, so he’d let them be. It was dangerous, how easy it had become to accept the other back among the ranks, not quite pack, but still close enough. It was dangerous how sometimes it felt right to have him there with them, like he belonged, how Scott felt-. _No, not going there._

“How long?“, he asked, trying to keep his voice neutral. Liam was right, Theo could do what he wanted. It shouldn’t be their business how and where Theo spent his time as long as he wasn’t hurting people. They shouldn’t care. If anything, shouldn’t they be happy if he just up and left Beacon Hills and their lives so they could forget about it all, forget him? _Yeah, you wish you could forget about him_ , the treacherous little voice in Scott’s head whispered.

“Um, we were still patrolling together pretty regularly just until like a few weeks ago. Haven’t heard anything from him since then. Nobody has.“ That wasn’t so surprising. Liam still was the only true link Theo had to the pack, the only one who went out of his way to spend time with him. _Except you_ , the voice supplied. And patrolling? Scott hadn’t told Liam to patrol around Beacon Hills. He knew Liam still did it because it made him feel safer, yet he also knew that sometimes he just enjoyed the act of it. It calmed him and preferred doing it in company of others, company which recently often consisted of one chimera back from hell. Scott was also sure that sometimes the two of them just hung out like normal teens, still referring to it as patrols just to get some of the more concerned members of the pack of their back.

“Any idea what could have set him off?“ Scott couldn’t hear his betas heartbeat through the phone, but he knew him well enough by now to know when he wasn’t being all that honest even without it. „Um no, I don’t know. Nothing really. Just-.“

“Liam…“ The younger sighed. “Ok, there may have been an argument. Not really an argument. A misunderstanding. Nothing important that should made him just disappear.“

“About what?“ Another sigh. “It’s uh, not really your business. Personal. I can’t really tell you.“ Now it was Scott’s turn to sigh. He wouldn’t force Liam to tell them what they had quarrelled about, which wouldn’t make finding Theo any easier. If Liam said it was personal, then so be it. “So, how is this my business?“

“Come on, Scott. I know- I mean, wouldn’t it be better if we knew where it was?“ Yeah, probably. Liam also probably knew that Scott had a hard time turning down requests like this and that he didn’t like people just dropping off the radar. Even people like Theo, which didn’t mean he cared about Theo. _Oh, come on,_ teased the annoying little voice. _So you don’t care? You don’t like not knowing where he is and that’s mostly not on worrying whether he’s up to something. You want him to be there in Beacon Hills, when you get back. You want-_. Yeah, enough of that.

„Fine. So you were the last person to see him?“, he gave in. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure about that. And he’s not getting back to any of my texts or answering my calls, which isn’t like him. Sure he isn’t the world’s fastest responder or anything, but…“ Liam didn’t say it and still Scott understood. He actually missed the chimera. _Stupid. Foolish._ Just like him. “Have you tried checking his place?“, he asked, despite assuming Liam had in fact already done that, if he was resorting to calling his alpha to track him down. A scoff came from the other line. “He doesn’t exactly have a place. He- um, he probably wouldn’t like me telling you this, I mean he didn’t even want me to find out, but… well, he lives in his truck. And I can’t find his truck.“

Scott sighed. Why didn’t Theo feel like he could tell them this stuff? They could have figured out a place for him to stay, Derek’s building maybe, yet he had a feeling that the chimera wouldn’t have taken them up on the offer anyways. “I’ll try and reach him. Maybe he’ll respond to me. Otherwise, I’m coming up to Beacon this weekend anyways, we can look for him then.“

„Thank you.“ Liam actually sounded relieved. An idiot, too trusting, just like Scott. They really shouldn’t give a damn about the person who almost ripped everything apart. “I know everybody thinks I’m stupid for giving a shit about him. I- you know, he’s my responsibility though. Just let me know if you hear anything from him.“

After catching up with Liam for almost an hour, Scott ordered pizza and tried starting his homework. Reaching out to Theo could wait after all, he told himself, just as he told himself his inability to concentrate and get any of his work actually done had nothing to do with the missing boy. Finally, just as his pizza arrived, he caved and pulled up Theo’s number on his phone. They didn’t text regularly. Why would they, of course? All there was were messages about pack meet-ups that Scott sometimes reluctantly invited Theo to join if Liam asked him too and scheduled patrols or Monroe-related trips that he’d taken Theo along to because despite everything he was still a competent fighter.

_7:03pm:_ hey, liam is looking for you

Okay, that was stupid. If Liam had been trying to reach him, Theo knew that.

_7:04pm:_ i mean, you should get back to him

_7:04pm:_ or just tell us where you are

Without thinking about it, Scott’s fingers were about to type something stupid like: _we’re worried about you_. Nope. He surely wasn’t. So, he also surely didn’t waste another thought thinking about Theo the rest of the night. He never thought about Theo at all.

Well, at least he tried his best not to.

The next morning, when there was still no response, he found himself staring blankly at his phone and the open chat between him and the chimera. He was doing this for Liam and Liam only, he repeated in his head.

_9:53am:_ i’m serious. where are you?

Hoping he didn’t sound too worried, because it wasn’t like he was, he headed to class. Liam texted him a few times, asking for updates, but Scott had no news to report to him until late in the afternoon when his phone lit up. For a moment he felt relief. _Stupid_. Such an idiot, he was.

_5:42pm_ : beacon hills.

And that was it. Frustrating as always, as if Liam hadn’t been trying to reach him for a while. 

_5:42pm_ : stop ignoring liam.

_5:43pm:_ what are you even up to?

Well, of course texting back right away didn’t make him seem worried at all. Scott groaned. _God,_ why was he acting like a stupid teenager? He wasn’t 15 anymore. Luckily, at least this time Theo didn’t make him wait another 24 hours for a response.

_5:45pm_ : been busy

_5:46pm:_ sorry

Scott let out another groan. He hated how the other was being cryptic, always holding his cards too close to his chest. Walls as solid as cement, much more left unsaid then said, just like when they were kids.

_5:47pm:_ doing what?

And then, another thought occurred them. He shouldn’t care of course, but he remembered Liamlast night, complaining about how Theo lived out of his truck and had refused Liam’s offer for a place to stay several times.

_5:49pm:_ are you still living out of your truck?

He almost cursed himself. Someone needed to take his phone away from him. Where Theo Raeken slept at night wasn’t his business in the slightest. Scott wasn’t his alpha and Theo would never be pack. So, what if he slept in his truck? Still, as the minutes trickled on Scott didn’t let go of his phone, left open of the same stupid chat.

_6:01pm:_ i’m not causing any trouble

_6:01pm:_ found a place to stay

Scott was pretty sure Theo didn’t have any actual money, or a job or even any legit identification,so there was no way he had gotten a place of his own. Not that it was any of his concern. Unless… wouldn’t it be useful to know who the chimera was staying with, justso that they could keep an eye on him? Also, if it wasn’t Liam, then who else in Beacon Hills would even willingly give Theo a place to stay? Scott came up blank.

_6:02pm:_ who with??

_Did you want to offer him to stay with you?,_ the voice in his head taunted him. No. No, that wasn’t what this was about. Of course he hadn’t wanted that. Since things had calmed down somewhat and Theo had slowly but surely shown up more often in his life again, all thanks to Liam, he couldn’t even look at Theo for too long. _And why is that?,_ the voice in his head egged him on. _It’s not hate you feel_ , it whispered. _That’s not why you have to look away._ His phone lit up again and rescued him from his own treacherous thoughts.

_6:05pm:_ peter hale

Fuck. It took a while for Scott to process the message, just that name. If there was one thing Scott was cursed with, it was his desire to forgive people, give second chances. It was what put him in this situation right here, staring at a text from Theo Raeken of all people. Peter Hale, though. That was the one person Scott was starting to doubt had many more chances left, with even his will to forgive running out when it came to the man who bit him.

Oh, he was definitely paying Beacon Hills a visit this weekend.

After dropping by the hospital to hug his mom, saying his hellos to various members of his pack and spending some time at Deaton’s, he couldn’t really come up with many more excuses to put off going to see Peter. He needed to check in on whether he wasn’t scheming, coming up with a new way to ruin his life, one that may even include Theo.

And because life wasn’t fucking fair, Peter was still rich as fuck, something he was reminded of every time, which gladly wasn’t often, he had to go see the man who turned him. He knocked on the heavy door of the penthouse and waited. Throughout the years he had tried to get into the habit of shutting out all the sounds he was able to hear all of the time, since it was both incredibly distracting and oftena pretty heavy invasion of privacy. Sometimes though, his curiosity got the better off him. And inside the apartment… _they couldn’t be-?_ They couldn’t be. That wasn’t-. He knocked again, a lot more aggressively this time.

On the other time of the door, he heard Peter let out a string of curse words. Then the door opened and Scott found himself face-to-face with a very disheveled looking, slightly flushed Theo Raeken. The smell coming off of the boy, overpowering the usual note of earth, steel and something else, was pretty telling. Was that a hickey on his neck? A bite mark? His wolf wanted him to growl, possessive and angry. Well, that wasn’t going to happen. Fists clenched, he pushed it down. He didn’t have to like it. Theo could sleep with whoever he wanted. But seriously _, Peter?_ “

“Uh, Scott. Hi.“ If he hadn’t know any better, he would have thought he could pick up a hint of shame and something else in the other’s smell. Even then, it was hard to smell anything over the overpowering stench of sex anyways. “You want to talk to Peter?“, he asked, dropping his gaze to the floor. That wasn’t like him. _Well, how would you even know what Theo is really like? Maybe you know nothing about him at all._

_“_ Um, well… I-“. Like an idiot, he hadn’t even really thought of a reason to come here. Just checking up on you? Making sure Peter hasn’t killed you? Or the other way around? That all made him sound very pathetic. Before he could make more of a fool of himself, he was saved by none other than Peter himself, snaking his arms around the boy in the doorway. “Scott, why are you gracing me with your presence? Or are you here for this one?“, he asked nonchalantly, lips grazing the shell of Theo’s ear, who remained still, face almost disturbingly closed off as if he wasn’t even really there at all. All of this was disturbing. Scott did not want to see Peter shirtless. The scent of sex and Peter’s obvious arousal almost made him gag. This whole display of affection or whatever was making him absolutely uncomfortable.

“Uh, I didn’t even know you were into guys“, was all his brain could come up with to break the awkward silence. Peter chuckled and Theo at least looked up from where his eyes had been fixed to the floor, arms that weren’t Scott’s wrapped around his broad chest and small waist. “Aren’t we all a bit flexible?“, Peter drawled, tightening his grip. “This one sure is“, he chuckled again as he squeezed Theo’s waist, who tensed up only slightly and dropped his gaze again. Scott wanted to rip out his eyes. He certainly hadn’t asked about Theo’s flexibility. What the fuck was even going on here? He must be dreaming and this certainly wasn’t a good dream, leaning strongly towards nightmare territory.

“Um, okay. That’s great. I mean for you. Good for you being into guys.“ He really didn’t know what to say. When he came here, he hadn’t even entertained the possibility of this being a thing, just the idea of being confronted with both Theo and Peter in the same room having made him queasy enough. Worry had plagued him, of the two not-quite-members of his pack forming an alliance and putting the fragile peace in Beacon Hills at risk through scheming. He really should be relieved, shouldn’t he? This certainly didn’t seem like a pair of villains making plans to hurt his pack. Well, even if he should, he didn’t feel any relief at all.

“It is a truly great experience, Scott. You wouldn’t believe what a good time I’ve been having.“ One of Peter’s hand unwrapped himself and instead made its’ way up the smaller’s shirt, disappearing beneath the hem. “You know, when I stumbled about young Theo here-“, and then finally said boy jerked himself away from Peter, stepping out of the doorframe and putting some much needed distance between the two of them. “Stop it, Peter“, he said, closer to a plea than a threat. And still, he wouldn’t meet Scott’s eyes.

The former alpha sighed dramatically and leaned against the doorframe. “So, what does bring you here? Surely you didn’t come all this way just to drool over my roommate?“

Theo was glaring at Peter now. What the fuck was he doing with him? Not scheming apparently, but he was an attractive, charming, young guy, who could have had anyone. Why choose a homicidal middle-aged asshole?

“Um, yeah. I actually do need Theo. For- well, I need him to go with me this weekend, there’s a pack upstate that I’m meeting and it’s better not to go alone on these things.“

Finally, Theo was looking straight at him, but he hadn’t responded yet. „“Why don’t you take your little beta on the trip?“, Peter asked, doubt written out on his face, eyebrows raised high. Yeah, so maybe Scott’s request didn’t make the most sense. He had meant to ask Liam, but this seemed like a convenient way to get out of this situation and away from Peter for the moment. Plus, he knew Liam was busy getting his ass kicked by senior year and applying for colleges. Theo was a competent fighter and knew how to behave himself in diplomatic situations, most of the time. Why not take him? _Stupid, stupid, stupid_ , the voice in his head taunted him. 

“Liam’s busy. And this is probably about Monroe, who I’d like to keep as far away from him as possible.“ Peter sighed, but the Theo, still looking into Scott’s eyes, nodded slowly. “Yeah, I can go. "Okay, great", Scott answered, relief probably written all over his face. Well, at least know he could get away himself - and Theo - away from whatever the hell was happening here. "Um, actually, I was gonna head out as soon as possible, so..."

A flash of something swept over Theo's face for a second, then it twisted into a half-smirk. "Eager, are we? Okay, I'll be down in a few. Just... let me pack up a few things." Scott gulped, his stomach twisting and turning again as Peter pulled the boy closer, back into the penthouse. He pretty much tripped down the stairs, really not in the mood to catch anymore sex noises coming out of that place, off of those two people. With his mind all over the place and his focus mostly on trying to contain the worst kind of thoughts in his head, he didn't even hear Theo come out of the building and towards his car, what felt like an eternity after he'd let himself be pulled back into Peter's arms. Well, in reality it probably hadn't taken him more than fifteen minutes. He seemed a bit reluctant almost, as if he was considering backing out, clutching the bag in his hands a bit too tightly. With one hand on the open door on the passenger side, he asked: "Which pack exactly are you going to meet?" 

" _We_ are going to a meeting with the one in Santa Rosa. Bane Pack. It's not too far. That alright with you?" Theo's reluctance seemed to have vanished and he gave a satisfied nod in Scott's direction as he climbed into the car. "Let's get this over with", he answered, but didn't seem to unhappy with being in the seat next to Scott. His trademark half-smirk was back on his pale face. It almost seemed like he belonged here, almost relaxed, almost fitting in as seamlessly as if he'd never betrayed them. It was always like this. Scott wished it had been - was - harder to not feel like Theo belonged next to him, with him. He started up the car, shaking his head to stop himself from going down that route. Not now, as Theo was already reaching over, tension in his shoulders gone for a moment, and started fiddling with the car radio. 


End file.
